b'WACO Conference: Fewer Parks, Vendors, But More PeopleTheWisconsinAssociationof encegotwhattheyneeded,sheCampground Owners (WACO) saw notedtoWoodallsCampground Owners enjoyed plenty of time to interact with each other and vendors during WACOsa smaller number of parks register Management (WCM),whichat- spring conference.foritsconferenceinmid-March, tended the conference. partially caused by a smaller num- On the tradeshow side, numbersber of trade show only registrations, were also down, with more than 170according to Lori Severson, the ex- vendors in attendance. That is com-ecutive director of WACO.pared to 2019, which drew nearlySeversonsaidshefeltthatthe 200 vendors. lower numbers were due in part to It was still a great trade show, butthe coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, wedidhavesomecancellations,which began impacting travel after Severson explained. the conference had begun.TheconferencefeaturedmoreThey had 97 campgrounds regis- than 50 educational sessions on aterforthe2020conferenceheld widerangeoftopicsand,forthefrom March 11-15 in Stevens Point, mostpart,sessionswerewellat-Wis. That is down from around 125 tended. in the past.On the entertainment side, WACOStill, Severson pointed out that a featuredaWesternthemeandrecord number of 325 people came hostedahoedownandasquarefor multiple days.dancenetworkingevent.BenI think everyone at the confer- QuiggleWCMRV Industry Power Breakfast Rescheduled to Early DecemberThe8thAnnualRVIndustryPower cause it was always the timefor moreBreakfast, originally slated for May 14 at than 50 yearswhen the National RV Tradethe RV/MH Hall of Fame/Northern Indiana Show took place in Louisville, Ky., until theEvent Center in Elkhart, Ind., has been show was terminated in 2018.rescheduled for Dec. 3, at the same venue Spokesmen for G&G Media Group LLCson the premise that the national dustup RVBusiness magazine, which facilitates theover the spread of COVID-19 will have annual event, indicated that Power Breakfastpassed by then, according to event organ- sponsors are on board with the new late-izers. year time frame. Given the options, saidAfter a spirited debate over the past G&G partner Gregg Fore, were pretty com-two weeks among the organizing commit- fortable with Plan B, assuming the nationstee members about how best to go about medical crisis has passed and life in general The Annual RV Industry Power Breakfast draws executives and other individualspostponing the Power Breakfast, we ulti- returns to normal by then. from the RV arena. mately chose a date that should give the Yes, were thinking that this new late-RV sector plenty of time to put this current year dateat least for this yearwill give Ind., Recreation Vehicle Industry Associa- utive Summit, per the ongoing plan, willviral crisis behind it, reported BJ Thomp- the wider industry a chance to relax at an tion (RVIA) President Craig Kirby, Recreation be Thor Industries Inc.President and CEOson, of BJ Thompson Associates, coordi- event where they can again mix socially with Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) Presi- Bob Martin, Forest River Inc. Presidentnator of the popular industry-wide event. their industry peers and, perhaps, begin to dent Phil Ingrassia, Kampgrounds of Amer- and CEO Pete Liegl and Winnebago In-Thompson said that it was no coinci- openly enjoy life again in a public scenario. icaInc.(KOA)PresidentandCEOToby dustriesInc.PresidentandCEOMikedence that the committee chose the week added G&G Publisher Sherman Goldenberg. ORourke, U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., Happe.right after Thanksgiving, a time frame that Plans call for retaining the same slate of and Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson. Details regarding online reservationsholds a special place for the RV arena be- speakers including U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R- Taking the stage for a special RV Exec- will be announced when feasible. WCMCAMP to Host Meetingfrom June 7-9 in LouisianaThe Campground Association Manage-ment Professionals (CAMP) is tentativelyplanning to hold its next meeting June 7-9at Pontchartrain Landing RV Resortin NewOrleans, La.Weve got a lot to discuss with thecoronavirus pandemic and related issuesthat not only affect campgrounds but theassociations themselves, said MichaelMoore, past president of CAMP, which iscomprised of the executive directors andCEOs of state campground associationsacross the country.Speakers at CAMPs June meeting willinclude Patrick Hardy, CEO of Hytropy, oneof the nations top disaster planning firms.FormoreinformationonCAMP,visitcampgroundexecutives.com. WCM6 -May 2020Woodalls Campground Management'